Common Sense Media Review
Dated classic has colonial racial views.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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King Solomon's Mines
What's the Story?
In KING SOLOMON'S MINES, Elizabeth Curtis (Deborah Kerr) hires the best "white hunter" in Africa (Stewart Granger as dashing Allan Quartermain) to help her find her husband, who was lost searching for the legendary King Solomon's diamond mines. At first, he refuses, saying that women have no place on safari. When she offers twenty times his usual fee, he accepts, but he remains skeptical about her motives and about her ability to survive the trip. In the traditional "road movie" fashion, they develop respect and affection through their adventures.
Is It Any Good?
This is the best of the many versions of the classic adventure novel by H. Rider Haggard. The story (and the performances) are a bit creaky, but it is an old-fashioned technicolor spectacular, with breathtaking and Oscar-winning cinematography. Filmed on location in Kenya, and the then- Tangynika and Belgian Congo, the out-takes from this movie were used in several other movies, including the otherwise poor 1977 remake. The footage of the landscapes and of the animals is strikingly clear and vivid, especially an unforgettable shot of a just-uncurling brand-new baby alligator and the scenes of the Watusi dancing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the outdated colonial views.
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 9, 1950
- On DVD or streaming : January 11, 2005
- Cast : Deborah Kerr , Richard Carlson , Stewart Granger
- Director : Compton Bennett
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 103 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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